About

Alex Ellis is a singer, organizer, and erstwhile contradancer living in Providence, Rhode Island. He started dancing at NEFFA in 1999 and found his love of pub songs in 2015. He is also on the board of NEFFA and has also been involved in organizing BIDA, Youth Dance Weekend, and various dances around Western Massachusetts.

Allison hails from Brooklyn, New York, where she was one of the founders of the Brooklyn Contra. She is a contra dancer, a player of flute, and is developing a recently discovered love of playing English Country Dance music. She first learned of contra dancing while working at a 19th century living history museum, and she was wearing a full hoop skirt for her first dance. When she is not dancing, Allison is working on a PhD in linguistics.

Ben Williams

Ben Williams began contra dancing in 2009 while attending UMass Amherst, and has been in love ever since. He is also a life-long singer and plays a number of instruments badly, including bones, jaw harp, and guitar. He lives in Western Massachusetts where he works at the Country Dance and Song Society, as a meditation leader, and tiny house builder, among other things.

Eleanor Lincoln

Western MA native Eleanor Lincoln weaves her love of music and dance between teaching elementary school kiddos and participating in the New England folk dance scene. She is a classically trained viola player and now spends time playing fiddle tunes and English Country Dance hits along with Bach and Beethoven. She and her partner Ben sing in a choir, sit on the Fiddler’s Green Dance committee, and live in their tiny house together.

Previous Years

Before it was called “Swing into Summer”, Swing into Summer was just called “First Weekend”. In 2011, CDS-Boston Centre, which had been in charge of the weekend and had seen declining attendance, decided a new direction was needed. They brought on Chuck Gordon to rebrand the weekend. Chuck recruited Max Newman, Alex Krogh-Grabbe (now Ellis), and Jeremy Carter-Gordon to help, and Swing into Summer was reborn as such. Jeremy & Chuck both cycled off the committee, but Alex & Max stuck around and in 2014, they were joined by Allison. They were joined by Ben and Eleanor in 2015 or so, and Max bowed off the committee after 2017.

First Weekend used to be more specifically designed for families than Swing into Summer is. While the current idea of the weekend still considers families an important audience, the programming is designed to appeal to all ages, with a special eye to the young adults who can bring a special type of energy to a dance weekend. It seems to be going okay so far!

We have had rockstar staff every year since that transition. Below you can find a listing of who graced the stages of Pinewoods in previous years.

2017

Nova

Kate Barnes

lydia ievins

Andrea Larson

Adina Gordon

Will Mentor

The Vox Hunters

Fynn Crooks

2016

Gallimaufry

Rachel Bell

Eileen Nicholson

Adina Gordon

Michael Hamilton

Emily Troll

Julie Vallimont

Fynn Crooks

2015

Gallimaufry

Free Raisins

Rachel Wallace

Karen Axelrod

Rachel Bell

Eric Martin

Adina Gordon

Nicole Singer

2014

Gallimaufry

Nor’easter

Scott Higgs

Will Mentor

Karen Axelrod

Rachel Bell

Emily Troll

Brendan Taaffe

Jan Elliott

2013

Nils Fredland

Scott Higgs

Karen Axelrod

Liz Rose

Anadama

Jan Elliott

Max Newman

Mia Bertelli

Jeremy Carter-Gordon

2012

Lisa Greenleaf

Nor’easter

Brad Foster

Mary Lea

Jacqueline Schwab

Emily Troll

Mia Bertelli

Erik Erhardt

Nicole Singer

2011

Nils Fredland

Nor’easter

Marcie Van Cleave

Mary Lea

Jan Elliott

Jacqueline Schwab

Committee members emeritus

When not organizing, Max spends a lot of his time playing music, often with the bands Nor’easter and Stringrays. He served a term as the Youth Projects Intern at the Country Dance & Song Society, leading workshops and creating resources for dance organizers and the like. He also serves on the organizing committee for Youth Dance Weekend.

Swing into Summer is a chance for him to lead by example, showing that you don’t need to be good at the ukulele to have a blast playing it. Known to shout “Money Musk!” in a crowded hall, he is also an avid fan of root beer. Current obsessions include the idea (at least) of playing lots of board games.

Chuck Gordon

Chuck led the revitalization of the weekend from “First Weekend” to “Swing into Summer” in 2011. He has been attending Pinewoods for decades, and has been to many of the Swing into Summer weekends recently even after he ceased organizing it.

Pinewoods

Our venue, Pinewoods, is a traditional dance and music camp. Located on twenty-five acres in a beautiful pine forest between Long Pond and Round Pond in Plymouth, Massachusetts, it has four custom-built dance pavilions, rustic cabins, swimming in two clear water lakes, an open-air dining hall that looks out over the pond, and a cozy camphouse for gatherings.

Folks often describe it as “magical” and we couldn’t agree more. It’s relaxing, with plenty of opportunities to read in the shade, take a walk in the woods, play games in the sun, or jump into the pond for some swimming. And the beautiful dance pavilions in the woods are the envy of many!

The facilities of Pinewoods Camp are operated by Pinewoods Camp, Inc. (PCI), a non-profit organization. PCI is dedicated to supporting country dance, folk dance, folk music, and early music programs by providing an accessible and beautiful setting which enhances the programs offered by the user groups.

For more information and to get involved with this fantastic place, visit its website.

Country Dance Society, Boston Centre

Since 1915, the Country Dance Society, Boston Centre has been working to preserve and promote the knowledge and practice of the traditional and contemporary dancing and dance music of England and New England. The Boston Centre sponsors and produces classes, parties, workshops, and residential and special events featuring the best performers and practitioners of English and New England country dancing. Events are open to all, and most feature teaching; no experience or partner is required.